Today’s guest post comes from Helena Vikmane, who you can find on instagram as @helenabihai. The image shows the beautiful details of the architecture in the Chongsheng Monastery in Dali, Yunnan, Southwestern province of China. I have spent time in Japan, Thailand and South Korea and am a sucker for the detail shots at the great temples. One thing I love about travel to Asia is just how foreign it is to me as an American, as opposed to travel in Europe, where everything looks pretty similar. The details in this shot are incredible with the alternating blue and green patterns, interspersed with gold and white.
The Chongsheng monastery of dali
Helena says the Chongsheng Monastery is a must-visit location if you are near Dali. The monastery and three pagodas are located about 1.5 km from Dali Old Town. According to Helena, the monastery is a very important site for both Dali and all of Yunnan. It is an especially important and sacred site for Buddhists. The complex is one of the biggest Buddhist shrines in Southeast Asia, and is home to hundreds of cultural relics. Helena has done multiple trips to China, but says she visited Dali during one of her first long trips there. She says she was fascinated by the Chinese architecture and temples. She says they look beautiful from far away, but the closer you get, the more beautiful they become as you get to see the amazing detail put into every facet of the building.
China has long been my number 1 bucket list destination, but I had never head of the Dali region. The Chongsheng Monastery has definitely piqued my interest and I look forward to learning more about the area. If anyone else had experience in the region or tips to share, please add to the discussion over at our Facebook group.